One of the American bloggers I follow , occasionally mumbles about the metric system and the lack of it's use in the States. She wonders why the US is not adopting the metric system.
The post got me thinking about Canada's change to the metric system. The change began in 1970 and it's still going on. The change was ugly but we can say that we have adopted the metric system of measurement.
Our change happened in an awkward fashion. The plan was to phase different parts of the economy into the use of the metric system. A special ministry was set up by the government to oversee the process.
It's difficult to make an overall change as some sections of the economy just can't change that easily.
Our land survey system is difficult so it took a while and is still in progress. Miles are part of the legal land system. Most of the agricultural system now uses hectares.
As a country we automatically use Celsius and kilometers. We buy gas by the liter.
I was a teacher during the seventies so the education system was charged with teaching the metric system. We did a poor job. We taught conversion of the English system to the metric system. Poor plan. Don't teach conversion from the old system to the new. Teach the kids about the size of the basic units in the metric system and then how the system is based on tens.
So now almost everything is metric. We by groceries by grams and liters or some form of them. One problem is that some groceries are also sold in pounds and priced in both pounds and grams. This gets to be a problem.
We had some major sieges. One old guy wouldn't change his gas pumps to liters. He fought a long fight but in the end he lost.
Lumber is still a problem because historically the English system was used so all old buildings were in that system. Most lumber is in English, but some dimensions have changed. Plywood thickness is in millimeters but length and width are in feet.
Somehow, we muddle along. The biggest advantage is that we fit in with the rest of the world. The worst of the change for me was listening to people complain about it.
You captured the confusion very well, Red. Like everyone else of a certain age I learned the imperial system in school but had to adapt when the metric system came along. I'm not a whiz at either one but can function in both. My husband still has trouble with the temperature - I can see him doing the math in his head every time! I have the most trouble with distance. It used to be that if you were doing 60 mph it was easy to know how long it would take to get somewhere - "a mile a minute." Now I have to multiply by 6/10 and am lucky not to have an accident while I'm doing it.
ReplyDeleteEach system has it's benefits. I still think of my weight in pounds as we never got a bathroom scale with metric.
DeleteWe were trying to teach both metric and the customary system in first grade 10 years ago. I don't know what they do now. I really think the U.S. needs to switch over to the metric, but I'm not seeing a move in that direction happening too swiftly.
ReplyDeleteChanging the measuring system is not simple. There are some awkward situations.
DeleteThe metric system was introduced to Australia a couple of years before I was born but because it was still new-ish when I was a child, I grew up hearing both types of measurement and can think in both metric and imperial measures. I am a lot better at metric though.
ReplyDeleteI think Australia introduced all metric measures at once but I would need to look it up to be sure
I'm willing to bet that when you work in either system that you don't convert. You just understand what the units are.
Deleteyes, i do!
DeleteAs you know, we your neighbors to the south have still avoided the change, for many of the reasons you mention. I had to teach both systems in school but it was a waste of time because unless you are going into the sciences, children just forget it when they leave school.
ReplyDeleteThe kids will retain much more than you think when they start to use the metric system.
DeleteIt took awhile, but it happened. One area where it was slow, US-bought imports.
ReplyDeleteI went to school in the 70s, and when I went to the Faculty of Ed., they gave us tutorials in metrics! It hadn't sunk in yet!
When a country changes a measuring system it is a long and sometimes painful process.
DeleteI can relate to the confusion. I use both systems for different things.
ReplyDeleteYes , I still think of my body weight in pounds.
DeleteYou can thank us Americans for most of those problems
ReplyDeletenow if you excuse me I'm going to walk a few feet to grab a cup of milk from my gallon jug. Then at lunch, I'll pour some soda from a 2 liter bottle...wait a minute
When it comes to measurement it's best to go cold turkey and make a complete change all at once. You know both systems well enoubh to make some humor out of it.
DeleteIt is confusing...my daughter has some recipes that are in grams...so she had to buy a scale:) If we had learned the metric system years ago it would be much easier...eh! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a challenge for cooking as old recipes stay around for a long time. Cooks have to use both systems for a long time. Food is sold in the metric system but then you have to make conversions for an old recipe.
DeleteSounds confusing but I understand it. I didn't know that about lumber using a combination of both. I just take out and use my measuring tape and write down the numbers. :)
ReplyDeleteIf you work with measurements often they will make sense and become part of you.
DeleteHi Red, The thing I like about the metric system is that O degrees C equals the freezing point of water. 32F is the same but doesn't make any sense. What does 0F mean? Mind you I'm not complaining, but old enough to resist changing. :-) Have a great week ahead!
ReplyDeleteOlder people have trouble changing systems.
DeleteI was brought up with the metric system exclusively. About the only things in the older system that still seems to persist for me would be height and weight.
ReplyDeleteThat's what you get for being a young guy!
DeleteI was in my twenty when we adopted the metric systems. Now I feel more at ease with metric for temperatures but more at ease with the imperial system for lengths! Go figure. Some of the comments indicate that I am not alone!
ReplyDeleteMy impression is that young people in Canada just know metric.
Alain, it's good to see that you are still in the blog world. I miss your excellent blog on plants and landscaping.
DeleteI transition easy when traveling, but sometimes have to look it up when writing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I use Fahrenheit on the blog, I always have to look it up. Hey look at that I can still spell Fahrenheit!
DeleteNew Zealand went metric from 1969 when I was 13. I taught high school physics for 30 years from 1978 using metric exclusively but I can switch to imperial easily. The only non-metric thing my students persisted with using was their height measurement. Presumably because of their parents interest they still would say they were 6 feet tall rather than 183 cm or whatever.
ReplyDeleteI remember being taught the metric system when I was in elementary school, back in the days (the '70s) when the USA thought it would eventually convert. Then we got caught up in the Reagan years and any thought of joining Canada and Europe in metric measurement went out the window!
ReplyDeleteInteresting, it is confusing. I tend to stick to what I was taught in school, so many years ago, LOL. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine why the U.S. is one of the only (if not the only) country to resist the metric system. I wish we had changed but now I think I'm too old to do it, even if the country did.
ReplyDeleteHere in England my children think metrically about measurement but I am still carrying on with inches, feet, yards and miles. I often take my tape measure to shops as they tend to provide metric measurements. I just cannot visualise these distances but I know exactly what an inch looks like and a yard. I guess I belong in a museum.
ReplyDeleteWe took endless classes in the 70's on converting our students to the metric and of course it never happened. And later a boat dealer told me the government was banning 2 cycle outboards and I should buy a much heavier 4 cycle engine and of course it never happened. And now.....
ReplyDeleteI'm fortunate in that I'm 'bi-lingual' when it comes to most things imperial or metric but occasionally I get totally confused. For example I was asked today for my height and weight and I answered 5'9½" and 61.3 kilos.
ReplyDelete